Is Apple being too slow to react to the Flashback trojan?

It has been quite some time since the Russian antivirus company Dr. Web revealed that the flashback Trojan has infected 600,000 Macintosh computers, but Apple has been reacting too slowly to this.

by Pallab Jyotee Hazarika, 2012/04/13

It has been quite some time since the Russian antivirus company Dr. Web revealed that the flashback Trojan has infected 600,000 Macintosh computers, but Apple has been reacting too slowly to this. Apple waited till 10 April to publish a support knowledge base article HT5244 which stated that it has been already developed software that would detect and then remove the Flashback malware.

The latest version of the malicious software called as Flashback has exploited a security flaw in Java in order to install itself on the Macs.

On April 3, 2012 a Java update was released by Apple that fixes the Java security flaw for systems running on the OS X v10.7 and Mac OS X v10.6.

The default Mac update checks are scheduled for each week, but even these settings can be changed in Software Update Preferences. Even a manual software update check can be checked at any time.

Due to the vulnerability in Java, the Flashback malware relies on computer servers hosted by the malware authors to perform many of its critical functions. Apple is currently working along with ISPs worldwide to disable the command and establish the network control again.

Preferably for the Macs running on OS X v10.5 or earlier, the effect of the Flashback Trojan can be dealt with by disabling Java in the web browser preferences.

Apple has till now not provided a timetable for the release of the disinfectant software but it is being assumed that it will be available in the form of a Security Update in a few days from now.

The main problem is not the Flashback Trojan but the time taken by Apple to acknowledge and release a patch for the problem. Counting today it’s been a week and till now there is no patch available, which is very unacceptable for the users.

Now, Apple needs to act quick and divisively on the Flashback Trojan avoiding taking more time which is bringing shame to iPad makers.